Sony Details Split / Second PSP Hands-on: Feeling the Burn

Sony Senior Social Media Specialist Sid Shuman has shared Split / Second PSP hands-on details today in what they call 'Feeling the Burn' of the upcoming title.

To quote: I know what you're thinking, and yes, the airplane still crashes onto the track in the middle of the race on the Airport Terminal track.

Track layouts also distort dynamically, environments crumble realistically, and towers teeter and topple majestically under the destructive spark of Split/Second's signature Power Plays.

In short, despite the smaller screen size, Split/Second's PSP incarnation does not skimp on the spectacle. The PSP version releases on November 16th with four-player ad-hoc Wifi multiplayer, and this week I took a pre-release version of the game for a spin.

Thanks to some dazzling real-time lighting and particle effects, Split/Second on the PSP looks remarkably similar to its PS3 big brother. The tracks layouts are nigh-identical, and the gameplay zips along at a speedy clip, blasting energetically through every one of its 30 frames per second no matter how many fireworks are on the screen.

The controls have been been subtly tweaked to accommodate the mobile nature of PSP gameplay, and they feel tight and responsive on the analog stick and d-pad. You can still slipstream behind other racers to diminish wind resistance and gain a short-lived burst of speed, a critical tactic when you find yourself lagging behind the pack.

The gas and brake buttons are mapped to X and Square, respectively; To drift around hairpin turns, you tap the Square button once. Given Split/Second's blistering pace, I find it helpful to brake as little as possible and instead ease off the gas during dangerous moments. Finally, the L1 button triggers Power Plays, the aforementioned earth-shaking catastrophes that will wipe out your competitors if you master the, um, split-second timing.

Black Rock Studios (working with Sumo Digital) was kind enough to chip in an extra track for PSP players to bring the track total to 13 in all. PSP users also get new Challenges in addition to returning favorites like Elimination (stay out of last place), Air Strike (dodge incoming missiles), and Detonator (finish laps inside the deadline). Details on the new Challenges are still scarce and I'll update you when I learn more.

Split/Second is a fast, aggressive PSP racer that will appeal to fans of destructive racers such as Burnout Dominator and WipEout Pure. If you have questions about the gameplay or overall experience, ask away in the comments below and I'll do my best to get you an answer.